L and C
by Ann3
Summary: For all Carson & Laura shippers. A bit of privacy for our favourite lovebirds ? Not with a certain matchmaking Colonel around ! As always, I hope you enjoy, please R&R !


L and C

By Ann3

Writer's Note: Okay, this is _not_ the new story which I mentioned at the end of Taken On Trust - with so much plotting and planning involved for our favourite couple, it's going to be a while yet before it's finished ! But for all you Carson and Laura shippers out there, who's up for some fun in the Jumper Bay...? Ooooooh, look at all those waving handies...!

Now for the bad news... some unexpected company is already there... ;o)

No spoilers for this latest round of silliness, but you might find a wee reference to Poisoning the Well, The Lost Boys and the Hive.

Enjoy !!

There were, John Sheppard mused, many privileges of being the city's ranking military officer. For one, it enabled him to let his various combat teams take the punishment of Ronon's defence sessions. And, as now, it gave him a 'no questions asked' freedom to both guide and supervise their development.

Unless it compromised the city's safety, John would never interfere in their personal lives, but – well, in the case of Laura Cadman, he'd been more than happy to make an exception to his own rule.

He'd seen it, and silently noted it, as soon as she'd arrived with the rest of her team on the Daedalus. The chemistry between the feisty Marine lieutenant and their equally feisty CMO promised something special

And after seeing so much of his idealism and faith in human nature shattered, especially on Hoff – well, John Sheppard quietly reasoned, Carson Beckett deserved some happiness in his life to ease their loss.

That was another plus side to the job, of course. _He_ got to choose the teams that went off-world. So when Carson had needed his customary guard for a trip to the mainland… well, making _that_ choice had been gloriously easy.

Even now, Laura's open delight at her 'special assignment' still made her CO smile at its memory. And Carson's reaction…? Well, the grin on his face could have powered the city for the rest of the day

So yes, the demands and pressures of command were many, their responsibility heavy on his shoulders. Part CO, part big brother, and now matchmaker extraordinaire, John Sheppard loved every second of it

His style of leadership may have horrified his peers back on Earth, but… well, that hardly mattered. John knew he had the full support and respect of every person on Atlantis, military and otherwise.

Even if Steven Caldwell _were_ to challenge his authority over Ford and his errant lieutenant's possible threat to the city… well, it wouldn't get him very far. If push came to shove, there'd be no doubt whatsoever as to where the loyalties of Atlantis lay.

Carson Beckett, that epitome of sweet natured gentleness, had already promised his allegiance – a quietly private chat over breakfast in the Commissary just the tonic that John Sheppard had needed.

'_Dinnae ye worry_, _son_… _if the good Colonel gives ye grief over Aiden_, _he_'_ll have me to answer to_…'

Grinning back at him, Carson had then given a long running joke between them a slyly winked twist.

'_After all_, _lad_, _I_'_m_ _not in the military_, _so what_'_s_ _he goin_'_ to do_…? _Shoot me_…?'

This typical feistiness now caused John's smile to widen as he watched the Jumper slip into its bay. A brusque, unyielding American colonel, pitted against an equally bloody-minded Scottish doctor…?

God, he'd give ten years worth of his salary, even re-mortgage his apartment, to see _that_ battle – and re-mortgaged the entire block to have been a fly on the wall on that Jumper's trip to the mainland.

Then again, being 'accidentally' in the Jumper Bay when they got back was proving to be an equally eye-opening experience. And boy, was he ever racking up the blackmail credit for the next time he landed himself at Carson Beckett's medical mercy.

Jumper One's occupants, John Sheppard now dryly noted, were taking a long time to disembark. A _hell_ of a long time.

Right on cue, the rear hatch slowly creaked open, fits of shared laughter escaping from behind it – laughter which died instantly into chagrined silence as Carson and Laura finally emerged onto its ramp

In contrast, the devilish grin on John Sheppard's face grew wider as he took in the glorious sight before him. Two budding lovebirds. Two identically mortified faces. And two heads of tellingly tousled hair.

And when one of those lovebirds finally found his spluttering, thoroughly scandalized voice…? Well, all military toughness aside, it was all John Sheppard could do not to collapse with laughter.

"_Colonel_…?!? What the _he_-…? I – I mean, what – what are _you_ doin' here…?!?"

John knew he'd pay for this, _big_ time, at his next physical, but… oh, this was too priceless to pass up.

"Oh, just waiting for you kids to get home…" he said at last, still scrutinizing the Jumper's side – memories of his own, first date experience causing his smile to widen as he patted its drive-pod.

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you hadn't dented the fenders, or dinged a headlamp, or... well, you know, scratched the paintwork…"

The grin then faded slightly, as John realised damage of a far more personal and painful kind now looked imminent. Carson Beckett, Chief Medical Officer and grand master of all things pointy, was _not_ a happy doctor.

But then Carson spotted Laura's face dimpling into a helpless smile, and his, inevitably, did the same. Remembering, too, who'd played matchmaker in the first place, he then dissolved into outright laughter, gently cuffing the back of John's head

"Och, get away wi' ye, lad… I can hardly be mad at ye, can I…? Ye cheeky wee bugger…"

Reprieved, for the moment at least, John grinned back at him while slipping a brotherly hand across each of their shoulders – his next, genuinely proud thoughts kept wisely to himself as he walked them out of the Jumper bay.

'_L and C_, _sittin_' _in a tree_… _k_-_i_-_s_-_s_-_i_-_n_-_g_…'


End file.
